Have I got booze for you: whisky-flavoured typography

Who said typographers lacked spirit? This specially-created typeface reflects the complex tasting notes of a 12-year-old Scotch.

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The typeface is inspired by the flavours of the whisky

Scottish illustrator Steven Bonner was presented with a unique challenge by Ballantine's Scotch Whisky - to create a series of illustrated letters that would represent the flavour characteristics of the company's '12 Year Old Whisky'.

Steven worked with Digital Agency of the Year Work Club to produce the project. His involvement was split into two parts. Firstly, he illustrated the seven main tasting notes as illuminated letters, with each telling the story of its own flavour. The illustrations were then animated as part of an introductory story that asks you to ‘Go Beyond’ the blend and explore the notes that make up this premium blend.

Custom typeface

Secondly, he designed a custom typeface inspired by the blend which the viewer could use to create their own customised Facebook cover image. The typeface uses a flourished and a simple version of each character so the user can mix and match letters to create unique combinations.

An even more ornate version of the typeface was used in the final outcome, which includes decorative illustrations representing each tasting note on the letters. You can see the final outcome and illustrated animation over on the Ballantine's website.